You’ve decided to take the plunge and sell your house. Congratulations! To get you securely set up in your beautiful new home ASAP, it’s vital that you maximize your current property’s sale price.
One effective way to increase your sale price is property staging. With research from the National Association of Realtors indicating that every $100 invested in staging has a potential return of $400, you’d be crazy not to incorporate this into your selling strategy.
Here are five design tips to get you started.
1) Select a Color Scheme
In the post-Pinterest world, buyers are drawn to homes that have curated color schemes. As trends change every year, repainting your home in a neutral or monochromic theme is a great way to keep things timeless. For a bolder touch, select a few feature walls to add a burst of color to. For example, a vivid turquoise in the bathroom or a welcoming lemon in the entryway. Color evokes emotion, so be sure to research your accent colors prior to painting: a vibrant red might suit the hallway but is likely to feel oppressive in the bedroom.
2) Revitalize Your Landscaping
The garden is often a good indicator of how well-kept the rest of the house will be. You don’t need to completely overhaul your yard, but a few small tweaks can make a big difference. Start by mowing the lawn and pulling up any dead plants or weeds. Where possible, replace dead shrubs with eye-catching but easy-care options, like hydrangeas. Then, place a few strategic solar lights along the path visitors will take to the front door to give the impression of a chic, modern abode.
3) Update Interior Flooring
If you’ve got old carpets, forget about paying for deep cleaning. Even after a shampoo, they will still give your house an outdated and pre-loved look. Instead, opt to rip up the carpets and replace them for a fresh feel. If you’ve got wood floors underneath, consider skipping re-carpeting altogether and having the wood polished instead for a classy, modern look.
4) Modernize Your Kitchen
Kitchen renovations don’t have to cost an arm and a leg to make a huge difference to resale value. To instantly transform an outdated kitchen, replace or repaint your cupboard doors (think neutrals) and add sleek new handles. If you’re prepared to invest a little more, go one step further and add a new granite bench top to entice all foodies. Rusty old tap fittings are another big no – swap them out for shiny new models.
5) Remove Clutter
Prospective owners want to be able to picture themselves in the home, so completely vacant spaces and cluttered rooms can both be deterrents to buyers. Strip back your personal items (family photos, awards) and anything divisive (religious or political displays) and stick to a couple of key pieces of furniture that complement the space. You temporarily keep your belongings and home decors in a self storage unit.
With these five staging ideas, you can easily increase the sale value of your home and its appeal to prospective buyers.